Op-Ed: Black Bloc members prove anarchism is obsolete in Toronto

Toronto
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For decades, the ‘Black Bloc’, a loose affiliation of anarchist airheads, has been trashing anything it can find during demonstrations. They have done more damage to the environmental movement than anything else, but their vacuous efforts continue.

One of the less charitable interpretations of the Black Bloc is that they're a paid group of quasi Nazis sponsored by people determined to discredit any form of protest against capitalism. That’s not necessarily true of all anarchists, who are mainly naïve by definition, seriously believing that a few trivial pinpricks can bring down the most corrupt civilization since the Roman Empire.

Where the Black Bloc escapes the definition is in their monotonous disruption of any left wing, environmental or progressive demonstration, particularly at major events like the G20. This is a level of consistency which could be called obsessive. You never see the Black Bloc at right wing demonstrations, Tea Party rallies, etc.

The tactics are also mechanical, not to say farcical. Trash a Starbucks, wipe out someone’s car that they probably haven’t paid for, and you’re some sort of ideological saint. The world has now been saved, and you and your ego can move on and become an accountant.

Less amused are demonstration organizers around the world. Many organizers have been infuriated by the Black Bloc’s early childhood tactics, and don’t want recycled two year olds throwing media-oriented hissy fits when they’re trying to make a democratic point. In Seattle, demonstrations were continuous. Nobody remembers the demonstrations, just the violence. During the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the Black Bloc claimed to act for the poor, who received absolutely no benefit from their actions.

A police cruiser was set on fire by protesters in the financial district of Toronto.

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The only way to get rid of these parasitic puppets is for organizers to check every marcher, and exclude the Black Bloc from all demonstrations. They are, after all, pretty conspicuous. Then maybe people can get on with making a point about issues.

The Black Bloc is anti-democratic, anti-environment, anti-the poor, and utterly useless. It is effectively a fascist group, undermining legitimate protest, and therefore working directly for the interests these protests oppose. It has achieved absolutely nothing, and never will.

Anarchism is a 19th-century concept that belongs in that century. Either it makes itself useful in the struggle against a corrupt culture, or it can turn itself in to the nearest museum.

This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com